Digest of Education Statistics
2021 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 504.10. Labor force status of recent high school completers, by college enrollment status, sex, and race/ethnicity: October 2018, 2019, and 2020
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
College enrollment status, sex, and race/ethnicity Total number of high school completers (in thousands) Percent of high school completers Percentage distribution of all high school completers Labor force participation rate of all high school completers1 High school completers in civilian labor force2 High school completers not in labor force (in thousands)
Separately for those enrolled in college vs. those not enrolled3 For all high school completers Employed Unemployed (seeking employment) Not in labor force Number (in thousands) Unemployment rate
Total, all completers in labor force Employed Unemployed (seeking employment)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
2018 high school completers4                                                                        
Total 3,212   (94.6)   (†) 100.0   (†) 41.2   (1.62) 6.8   (0.78) 52.0   (1.72) 48.0   (1.72) 1,541   (71.7) 1,324   (62.6) 218   (26.9) 14.1   (1.53) 1,670   (73.5)
Male 1,614   (61.2)   (†) 50.3   (1.42) 42.7   (2.18) 6.0   (1.12) 51.3   (2.33) 48.7   (2.33) 787   (44.4) 690   (39.1) 97   (18.8) 12.3   (2.16) 827   (52.1)
Female 1,598   (69.9)   (†) 49.7   (1.42) 39.7   (2.49) 7.6   (1.16) 52.8   (2.65) 47.2   (2.65) 755   (52.8) 634   (45.4) 121   (20.2) 16.0   (2.30) 843   (57.0)

White
1,727   (71.2)   (†) 53.8   (1.60) 42.1   (2.23) 5.1   (0.93) 52.8   (2.20) 47.2   (2.20) 815   (50.5) 727   (47.4) 88   (16.9) 10.8   (1.93) 913   (53.8)
Black 449   (37.6)   (†) 14.0   (1.04) 36.4   (5.04) 10.8   (2.78) 52.8   (4.94) 47.2   (4.94) 212   (26.0) 163   (24.6)   (†) 23.0   (5.79) 237   (31.9)
Hispanic 727   (50.4)   (†) 22.6   (1.45) 49.6   (3.67) 7.3   (1.74) 43.1   (3.36) 56.9   (3.36) 414   (38.4) 361   (37.3)   (†) 12.8   (3.10) 313   (31.6)

Enrolled in college, 2018
2,220   (86.7) 100.0   (†) 69.1   (1.62) 32.7   (1.96) 3.7   (0.75) 63.6   (2.03) 36.4   (2.03) 808   (54.9) 726   (50.8)   (†) 10.1   (1.99) 1,412   (71.1)
Male 1,080   (55.7) 48.6   (1.84) 33.6   (1.49) 33.9   (2.89) 3.4 ! (1.16) 62.7   (2.97) 37.3   (2.97) 403   (35.5) 366   (33.6)   (†) 9.0 ! (3.02) 677   (50.5)
Female 1,140   (63.7) 51.4   (1.84) 35.5   (1.52) 31.6   (2.50) 4.0   (1.11) 64.5   (2.60) 35.5   (2.60) 405   (35.6) 360   (32.4)   (†) 11.2   (2.97) 735   (52.8)

2-year
819   (56.0) 36.9   (2.06) 25.5   (1.54) 41.6   (3.50) 3.3 ! (1.25) 55.1   (3.59) 44.9   (3.59) 368   (37.8) 341   (35.4)   (†) 7.3 ! (2.71) 451   (43.4)
4-year 1,401   (70.9) 63.1   (2.06) 43.6   (1.76) 27.5   (2.10) 3.9   (1.03) 68.6   (2.19) 31.4   (2.19) 440   (37.3) 385   (34.8)   (†) 12.4   (3.11) 961   (58.4)

Full-time students
2,015   (81.8) 90.8   (1.13) 62.7   (1.58) 28.9   (1.92) 3.6   (0.77) 67.5   (2.02) 32.5   (2.02) 656   (48.1) 583   (43.5)   (†) 11.1   (2.26) 1,360   (69.2)
Part-time students 205   (26.5) 9.2   (1.13) 6.4   (0.81) 69.9   (6.54)   (†) 25.7   (6.41) 74.3   (6.41) 152   (24.1) 143   (23.5)   (†)   (†)   (†)

White
1,224   (62.8) 55.1   (1.98) 38.1   (1.62) 32.9   (2.40) 3.8   (0.99) 63.2   (2.43) 36.8   (2.43) 450   (38.4) 403   (35.8)   (†) 10.4   (2.61) 774   (48.7)
Black 289   (31.9) 13.0   (1.31) 9.0   (0.93) 27.3   (5.21)   (†) 69.8   (5.54) 30.2   (5.54)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†) 202   (29.6)
Hispanic 476   (42.6) 21.4   (1.73) 14.8   (1.24) 44.0   (4.72)   (†) 53.2   (4.70) 46.8   (4.70) 223   (31.0) 209   (30.4)   (†)   (†) 253   (29.9)

Not enrolled in college, 2018
992   (57.4) 100.0   (†) 30.9   (1.62) 60.2   (2.69) 13.7   (1.82) 26.0   (2.49) 74.0   (2.49) 733   (49.0) 597   (43.4) 136   (19.7) 18.6   (2.38) 258   (28.8)
Male 534   (40.3) 53.8   (2.94) 16.6   (1.19) 60.6   (3.21) 11.3   (2.20) 28.1   (3.19) 71.9   (3.19) 384   (32.8) 324   (28.0)   (†) 15.7   (2.90) 150   (20.7)
Female 458   (41.2) 46.2   (2.94) 14.2   (1.23) 59.8   (4.58) 16.6   (2.85) 23.7   (3.99) 76.3   (3.99) 349   (35.9) 273   (31.1) 76   (15.2) 21.7   (3.75) 108   (21.0)

White
503   (37.8) 50.8   (2.71) 15.7   (1.10) 64.4   (3.96) 8.1   (2.04) 27.5   (3.51) 72.5   (3.51) 365   (31.5) 324   (30.8)   (†) 11.2   (2.84) 138   (21.0)
Black 159   (22.9) 16.1   (2.09) 5.0   (0.69) 52.9   (8.88) 25.2   (6.46) 21.9 ! (6.72) 78.1   (6.72) 124   (19.9)   (†)   (†) 32.2   (8.48)   (†)
Hispanic 251   (30.5) 25.3   (2.60) 7.8   (0.95) 60.3   (5.67) 15.8   (4.36) 23.9   (4.71) 76.1   (4.71) 191   (26.9) 152   (25.0)   (†) 20.8   (5.59)   (†)

2019 high school completers4
                                                                       
Total 3,178   (113.2)   (†) 100.0   (†) 42.3   (1.85) 7.2   (0.93) 50.5   (1.94) 49.5   (1.94) 1,572   (83.1) 1,343   (77.9) 229   (29.7) 14.6   (1.79) 1,606   (84.3)
Male 1,486   (73.8)   (†) 46.7   (1.52) 40.3   (2.32) 8.7   (1.50) 51.0   (2.40) 49.0   (2.40) 728   (48.8) 598   (43.4) 130   (23.5) 17.8   (2.87) 758   (53.9)
Female 1,693   (74.7)   (†) 53.3   (1.52) 44.0   (2.67) 5.9   (1.17) 50.2   (2.79) 49.8   (2.79) 844   (59.4) 744   (56.4) 99   (19.7) 11.8   (2.24) 849   (61.0)

White
1,744   (73.0)   (†) 54.9   (1.80) 44.9   (2.47) 4.6   (0.88) 50.6   (2.45) 49.4   (2.45) 862   (57.2) 782   (55.2) 79   (15.7) 9.2   (1.77) 882   (54.9)
Black 411   (38.5)   (†) 12.9   (1.07) 36.8   (4.90) 13.9   (3.51) 49.4   (5.70) 50.6   (5.70) 208   (29.0) 151   (23.4)   (†) 27.4   (5.98) 203   (31.1)
Hispanic 681   (53.3)   (†) 21.4   (1.37) 46.0   (4.10) 11.0   (2.66) 43.0   (3.98) 57.0   (3.98) 388   (40.4) 313   (38.0)   (†) 19.3   (4.47) 293   (35.3)

Enrolled in college, 2019
2,103   (99.4) 100.0   (†) 66.2   (1.80) 33.6   (2.09) 4.2   (0.84) 62.2   (2.24) 37.8   (2.24) 795   (56.7) 707   (53.0)   (†) 11.0   (2.10) 1,308   (82.1)
Male 921   (62.9) 43.8   (2.01) 29.0   (1.53) 32.1   (2.97) 3.6 ! (1.28) 64.4   (3.03) 35.6   (3.03) 328   (32.3) 296   (31.0)   (†) 10.0 ! (3.48) 593   (53.6)
Female 1,182   (67.2) 56.2   (2.01) 37.2   (1.69) 34.9   (2.98) 4.6   (1.27) 60.5   (3.20) 39.5   (3.20) 467   (44.6) 412   (41.1)   (†) 11.7   (3.00) 715   (57.5)

2-year
692   (55.1) 32.9   (1.94) 21.8   (1.46) 39.9   (3.35) 7.5   (1.93) 52.6   (3.68) 47.4   (3.68) 328   (35.4) 276   (32.2)   (†) 15.9   (3.74) 364   (39.5)
4-year 1,411   (73.9) 67.1   (1.94) 44.4   (1.67) 30.6   (2.81) 2.5 ! (0.80) 66.9   (2.88) 33.1   (2.88) 467   (47.4) 431   (45.2)   (†) 7.6 ! (2.37) 944   (64.1)

Full-time students
1,924   (95.4) 91.5   (1.45) 60.5   (1.89) 30.3   (2.16) 3.7   (0.83) 66.0   (2.29) 34.0   (2.29) 654   (52.0) 583   (49.5)   (†) 10.8   (2.32) 1,270   (80.3)
Part-time students 179   (31.6) 8.5   (1.45) 5.6   (0.97) 69.3   (7.76)   (†) 21.2 ! (7.28) 78.8   (7.28) 141   (28.7) 124   (26.0)   (†)   (†)   (†)

White
1,186   (65.7) 56.4   (2.18) 37.3   (1.77) 34.9   (2.70) 2.4 ! (0.83) 62.7   (2.79) 37.3   (2.79) 442   (39.7) 414   (38.0)   (†) 6.5 ! (2.18) 744   (54.5)
Black 205   (28.7) 9.7   (1.20) 6.4   (0.83) 31.4   (7.19) 9.2 ! (4.43) 59.4   (7.84) 40.6   (7.84)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Hispanic 432   (43.5) 20.5   (1.67) 13.6   (1.18) 39.9   (4.74) 6.2 ! (2.50) 54.0   (4.93) 46.0   (4.93) 199   (27.2) 172   (26.6)   (†) 13.4 ! (5.10) 233   (33.0)

Not enrolled in college, 2019
1,075   (64.9) 100.0   (†) 33.8   (1.80) 59.1   (2.97) 13.1   (2.09) 27.8   (2.76) 72.2   (2.76) 777   (55.0) 635   (52.2) 141   (22.7) 18.2   (2.79) 299   (35.1)
Male 564   (41.0) 52.5   (2.40) 17.8   (1.21) 53.7   (3.51) 17.2   (3.13) 29.2   (3.37) 70.8   (3.37) 400   (35.2) 303   (29.1) 97   (19.4) 24.2   (4.08) 165   (22.2)
Female 511   (41.8) 47.5   (2.40) 16.1   (1.21) 65.1   (4.66) 8.7 ! (2.63) 26.2   (4.26) 73.8   (4.26) 377   (36.7) 333   (37.4)   (†) 11.8   (3.53) 134   (24.9)

White
558   (47.4) 51.8   (2.90) 17.5   (1.46) 66.1   (4.06) 9.1   (2.24) 24.8   (3.55) 75.2   (3.55) 419   (40.4) 368   (39.4)   (†) 12.1   (3.00) 138   (23.3)
Black 206   (27.1) 19.2   (2.35) 6.5   (0.83) 42.1   (7.11) 18.5 ! (6.11) 39.4   (7.73) 60.6   (7.73) 125   (23.6)   (†)   (†) 30.6   (8.91)   (†)
Hispanic 249   (33.6) 23.2   (2.78) 7.8   (1.03) 56.5   (6.91) 19.4   (5.46) 24.1   (5.72) 75.9   (5.72) 189   (29.9) 141   (26.6)   (†) 25.6   (7.02)   (†)

2020 high school completers4
                                                                       
Total 3,118   (106.3)   (†) 100.0   (†) 38.0   (1.82) 7.7   (0.90) 54.2   (1.96) 45.8   (1.96) 1,427   (79.0) 1,186   (69.8) 241   (29.6) 16.9   (1.82) 1,691   (82.6)
Male 1,581   (76.4)   (†) 50.7   (1.68) 36.7   (2.31) 7.8   (1.38) 55.5   (2.43) 44.5   (2.43) 703   (51.6) 580   (45.9) 123   (22.7) 17.5   (2.87) 878   (56.5)
Female 1,537   (72.5)   (†) 49.3   (1.68) 39.4   (2.53) 7.7   (1.29) 52.9   (2.77) 47.1   (2.77) 724   (52.4) 605   (45.5) 118   (20.9) 16.3   (2.51) 813   (59.3)

White
1,669   (73.1)   (†) 53.5   (1.77) 42.5   (2.63) 6.2   (1.15) 51.3   (2.70) 48.7   (2.70) 813   (56.2) 710   (52.4) 103   (19.8) 12.7   (2.27) 856   (59.7)
Black 401   (39.1)   (†) 12.9   (1.12) 25.5   (4.69) 7.2 ! (2.98) 67.3   (5.15) 32.7   (5.15) 131   (25.1)   (†)   (†) 22.0 ! (8.42) 270   (31.9)
Hispanic 764   (55.3)   (†) 24.5   (1.51) 39.6   (3.89) 11.9   (2.36) 48.6   (4.29) 51.4   (4.29) 393   (43.5) 302   (37.7)   (†) 23.1   (4.10) 371   (42.5)

Enrolled in college, 2020
1,955   (86.5) 100.0   (†) 62.7   (1.76) 28.4   (2.24) 4.6   (0.89) 67.0   (2.34) 33.0   (2.34) 645   (53.7) 556   (49.3)   (†) 13.8   (2.57) 1,310   (73.8)
Male 938   (56.9) 48.0   (2.07) 30.1   (1.49) 24.6   (2.84) 3.1 ! (0.97) 72.3   (2.97) 27.7   (2.97) 260   (31.1) 231   (29.4)   (†) 11.2   (3.33) 678   (50.9)
Female 1,017   (61.2) 52.0   (2.07) 32.6   (1.64) 32.0   (3.00) 5.9   (1.49) 62.1   (3.26) 37.9   (3.26) 386   (40.0) 326   (35.0)   (†) 15.6   (3.60) 632   (50.6)

2-year
621   (57.1) 31.7   (2.48) 19.9   (1.71) 42.3   (3.91) 8.4   (2.15) 49.3   (3.97) 50.7   (3.97) 315   (37.5) 263   (34.4)   (†) 16.6   (4.04) 306   (37.9)
4-year 1,335   (73.6) 68.3   (2.48) 42.8   (1.86) 22.0   (2.42) 2.8 ! (0.94) 75.2   (2.52) 24.8   (2.52) 331   (37.4) 294   (34.5)   (†) 11.2 ! (3.61) 1,004   (66.2)

Full-time students
1,819   (84.3) 93.0   (1.13) 58.3   (1.84) 26.2   (2.26) 4.3   (0.90) 69.6   (2.34) 30.4   (2.34) 553   (49.0) 476   (45.6)   (†) 14.0   (2.84) 1,266   (73.0)
Part-time students 136   (22.5) 7.0   (1.13) 4.4   (0.71) 58.9   (8.94)   (†) 32.5   (8.84) 67.5   (8.84)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)

White
1,085   (64.6) 55.5   (2.35) 34.8   (1.76) 30.8   (2.96) 3.5 ! (1.07) 65.7   (3.07) 34.3   (3.07) 372   (38.4) 334   (36.0)   (†) 10.3   (2.99) 713   (56.0)
Black 230   (31.3) 11.8   (1.51) 7.4   (0.98) 15.9 ! (5.36)   (†) 81.1   (5.82) 18.9 ! (5.82)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†) 187   (27.8)
Hispanic 429   (44.0) 22.0   (1.94) 13.8   (1.28) 34.8   (4.97) 7.4 ! (2.81) 57.8   (5.32) 42.2   (5.32) 181   (31.0) 149   (27.6)   (†) 17.5 ! (6.22) 248   (32.1)

Not enrolled in college, 2020
1,162   (67.4) 100.0   (†) 37.3   (1.76) 54.2   (3.02) 13.1   (1.91) 32.8   (2.91) 67.2   (2.91) 781   (52.5) 629   (48.0) 152   (23.3) 19.5   (2.73) 381   (42.7)
Male 643   (51.7) 55.3   (2.98) 20.6   (1.50) 54.3   (4.14) 14.6   (2.89) 31.0   (3.83) 69.0   (3.83) 444   (39.5) 349   (35.2)   (†) 21.2   (4.01) 200   (31.6)
Female 519   (45.1) 44.7   (2.98) 16.7   (1.35) 53.9   (3.99) 11.2   (2.71) 34.9   (4.08) 65.1   (4.08) 338   (34.9) 280   (30.9)   (†) 17.2   (3.92) 181   (27.3)

White
584   (43.6) 50.3   (3.03) 18.7   (1.34) 64.4   (3.77) 11.1   (2.34) 24.6   (3.44) 75.4   (3.44) 441   (38.0) 376   (35.3)   (†) 14.7   (3.04) 143   (23.1)
Black 171   (27.7) 14.7   (2.16) 5.5   (0.84) 38.5   (8.01) 12.9 ! (5.99) 48.6   (7.93) 51.4   (7.93)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Hispanic 335   (38.3) 28.8   (2.60) 10.7   (1.19) 45.7   (5.95) 17.6   (4.27) 36.7   (6.05) 63.3   (6.05) 212   (30.3) 153   (25.7)   (†) 27.8   (6.21) 123   (25.6)
†Not applicable.
!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.
‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate, or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.
1The labor force participation rate is the percentage of persons who are either employed or seeking employment.
2The labor force includes all employed persons plus those seeking employment. The unemployment rate is the percentage of persons in the labor force who are not working and who made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the prior 4 weeks.
3Does not present any percentages that apply to all high school completers; instead presents one set of percentages for only those completers who were enrolled in college and a second set of percentages for only those completers who were not enrolled in college.
4Includes 16- to 24-year-olds who completed high school between January and October of the given year. Includes recipients of equivalency credentials as well as diploma recipients.
NOTE: Data are for October of a given year. Data are based on sample surveys of the civilian noninstitutionalized population, which excludes persons in the military and persons living in institutions (e.g., prisons or nursing facilities). Standard errors were computed using replicate weights. Totals include race categories not separately shown. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October, 2018, 2019, and 2020. (This table was prepared June 2022.)

2021 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest